Mussa Dankwah latest poll reveals voter preference for youthful leadership ahead of NDC’s 2028 contest

Mussa Dankwah has provided early insights into the emerging leadership race within the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after the presidency of John Dramani Mahama, revealing both voter preferences and a growing call for younger leadership.

Dankwah explained that his organisation surveyed Ghanaians on who they would like to see lead the NDC into the 2028 elections.

“The NDC hasn’t opened nominations yet, but a number of names are being thrown about,” he said on Channel One TV

“The context is that John Mahama will have completed his two terms, so the race opens up for others.”

Prominent names mentioned include Julius Debrah, Eric Opoku, Professor Joshua Alabi, Oko Vanderpuije, and Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu.

Dankwah noted that “Haruna Iddrisu currently leads public preference with about 30%,” though he clarified that this does not confirm his candidacy.

“He may decide not to run, but people are saying that they prefer him to lead at the moment,” he explained.

Beyond individual names, Dankwah emphasized a generational shift. “About 64% of the sample said Ghana must be led by young leaders,” he stated.

“When you juxtapose this with the fact that 78% of the population is below 44, it sends a clear message that will have impact in future elections.”

Regional patterns show strong youth leadership support in Oti and Upper West regions.

Dankwah explained that polling names and “someone else” options allow his team to map potential alliances and gauge voter sentiment shifts in real time.

“For us, this data may be seen as useless, but it is a gold mine,” he added.